Articles
Exemplifying Jesus’ Example
A reason why advertisements use famous people to promote products is because many people might admire them and want to be like them. Due to this longing desire to become like those celebrities, more products get sold because there is a feeling of, “If I get that thing, then I can be just like that person.” Being the son of God, Jesus Christ could have come to Earth and acted like a typical celebrity, except He didn’t. Philippians 2:6-8 reads, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself.” Despite His power and status, Jesus didn’t try to be a king and He isn’t trying to entice us with anything from this world. He gave us the free gift of salvation and if we want to be like Him, we must accept His gift and follow His commands.
1 John 2:4-6 says, “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Jesus commands those who embrace Him through baptism to love God above all else and to treat their neighbors as themselves (Mark 12:28-34). Jesus loved God and His fellow man so much that He was even kind to and suffered for those who were His enemies–us. Thus, we should serve and love our enemies the same way to the best of our ability. 1 Peter 2:18-24 says, “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly…For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps…When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” A person cannot be Jesus because mankind cannot be divine. But, God will renew the hearts and minds of those who embrace Him.
Children of God who have had their hearts and minds renewed by God will desire to carry out His will through their righteous acts of service like Jesus. This in turn will glorify God and encourage their faith to grow. The righteous acts that demonstrate Christ’s example need to be accomplished daily and not just occasionally for them to be encouraging. Luke 9:23-25 accounts Jesus saying, “…If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” The question is not, do we want to be like Jesus? Rather, are we willing to strive to be like Him daily?
